Tuesday, September 5th, 2023

Dear Friend, 

I hope you had a relaxing Labor Day Weekend. I spent time reflecting on the contributions of the American workers who make our country great.

We are experiencing a heat wave and Fairfax County activated their heat plan with cooling centers on Tuesday, 9/5 due expected heat index values of 105 to 109. You can report concerns for people or pets at 703-691-2131 during this heat advisory. In addition to shopping malls, stores or movie theaters, you may consider cooling off at one of our county facilities designated as Cooling Centers, including:

1. Libraries.
2. Community Centers.
3. REC Centers.
4. Human Services Regional Offices.
5. our homeless shelters, available for people experiencing homelessness.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office. 

Email: Franconia@fairfaxcounty.gov

Phone 703-971-6262

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Table of Contents

1. Things to do this September in Fairfax County
2. Visualize 2050 - Long Range Transportation Plan Meetings
3. 495 Southside Express Lanes Public Information Meetings
4. Healthy Together Fairfax
5. High School Students - Call for Volunteer Election Pages

Out and About in Franconia

1. Harmony Place Mobile Home Fire Safety Day
2. Oakwood Senior Residence Grand Opening
3. Public Safety Day

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)

1. Driving Rules Near School Buses
2. Elections Officers Needed
3. 2023 Hurricane Season Outlook: What You Need to Know
4. Kingstowne Farmers Market
5. Metro Wants Your Feedback - Capacity & Reliability Study
6. Free Immunization Clinics for Children
7. Senior Cool Care Program

Things to do this September in Fairfax County

The most colorful season of the year kicks off this September in Northern Virginia! With changing leaves and autumn breeze comes beer-forward Oktoberfests, scenic adventures, spooky activities, fabulous festivals, exciting performances, and more. 

Here’s your go-to guide for enjoying September in Fairfax County.

How do you envision the infrastructure of Northern Virginia in 25 years? The planning process is already underway! Fairfax County Department of Transportation is hosting in person and virtual public meetings to discuss Visualize 2050, a long-range transportation plan for the National Capital Region. The community meetings will focus on the project list in Fairfax County and encourage public feedback.

In Person Public Meeting:

• Wednesday, September 6, 2023
• 7:00 p.m. 
• Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax 22035

Virtual Public Meeting:

• Tuesday, September 12, 2023
• 7:00 p.m.
• Join the meeting online.  
• Join by phone: 571-429-5982  Access code: 358535088#

Harmony Place Fire Safety Day

Fire Safety is important for all communities and mobile home parks are particularly vulnerable when it comes to fire hazards. I am happy to share that for the first time in Fairfax County history, we launched the first of several mobile home park “Fire Safety Days” in the Harmony Place mobile home community.

Thank you to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, American Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region, Tenants and Workers United - Inquilinos y Trabajadores Unidos, Fairfax County CERT Volunteers, and all the volunteers and Harmony Place residents for partnering with my office to place 150 smoke detectors in 46 homes, while offering fire safety tips and evacuation plans this past weekend. I look forward to the next Fire Safety Day in Audubon Estates mobile home park in September.

Oakwood Meadow Senior Residence Grand Opening

I recently attended the grand opening of Oakwood Meadow, located in Alexandria. Our SHAPE the Future of Aging study cited affordable housing as a barrier for older adults wishing to live in Fairfax County post-retirement.

All residents deserve the opportunity to remain in their community of choice, and Oakwood Meadow is the latest example of a successful public-private partnership to boost the housing stock for this growing population. Oakwood Meadow Senior Residences is made possible by a public-private partnership with APAH. You can learn more about the project here.

You can watch video coverage of the event here.

Public Safety Day

Fairfax County recently held the first ever, Public Safety Day, hosted by Fairfax County 911. Activities for the whole family included food trucks, giveaways, vehicles, and tours of the McConnell Public Safety Transportation Operations Center. Thank you to the Office of Emergency Management, Fairfax County Police Department, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and all the other partner organizations for supporting this community event!

Driving Rules Near School Buses

Now that school is back in session, I wanted to share these safety tips with the community.

Fairfax County Public Schools runs more than 1,600 buses daily.And if you drive, there’s no doubt you will encounter FCPS and private school buses. The rules are pretty simple if you encounter a school bus with flashing red lights.

Drivers must stop in both directions, unless separated from the bus by a median. Please remember, it is considered reckless driving - a criminal offense - if you pass a stopped school bus unloading children. It is not worth getting to your destination a few seconds faster when you are risking the safety and lives of others.

Please remember to:

• Stop for school buses with flashing red lights on. 
• Slow down in school zones when lights are flashing; know about the speed camera pilot program.
• Pay attention to, smile and wave at all of our great crossing guards. 

Elections Officers Needed for the General Election November 7th

Fairfax County Office needs election officers for the November 7^th General Election and the 2024 elections. Compensation begins at $250 and training is provided online and in-person for new officers. More information on serving as a Fairfax County election officer can be found here. Apply today.

There is also a need for bilingual Virginia voters who speak Vietnamese and English or Korean and English to serve in the Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, and Falls Church areas. To serve as a designated bilingual election officer, you must also complete a short oral language skills assessment. More information on serving as a language election officer can be found here.

2023 Hurricane Season Outlook: What You Need to Know

​Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, and several factors contribute to the formation and development of tropical storms and hurricanes. These include warm ocean waters, an unstable atmosphere, and low vertical wind shear. It’s interesting to note that disturbances called easterly waves typically develop away from the equator.

For more information please visit: 2023 Hurricane Season Outlook: What You Need to Know | Fairfax County Emergency Information (wpcomstaging.com)

Metro Wants Your Feedback - Capacity & Reliability Study

Metro wants your feedback on proposals to improve service and reliability on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines.

Metro has opened its public engagement and feedback period on six options to address future capacity, reliability, and customer needs on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines. The proposed alternatives, part of the Blue/Orange/Silver Capacity and Reliability Study (BOS Study) launched in 2019, include a set of potential infrastructure and operational improvements that will ensure quality service while meeting the needs of the growing region. 

Beginning July 17, Metro has begun to conduct a series of virtual and in-person engagement activities to provide information about the proposed alternatives and receive public input that will help Metro’s Board of Directors select a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). Visit wmata.com/BOSstudy for full details about the proposals and how to weigh in.

The Board’s selection of an LPA is only the first step in a long process. The type of large project needed to address the needs and opportunities on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines will require federal funding as well as support and investment from Metro’s regional partners. Recognizing this, the BOS Study is structured according to federal guidelines and requirements to qualify for federal grants. Projects of this scale can take ten to twenty years or more to plan, design, fund, and build. Metro and the region need to be planning now for our growing region.

Engagement Opportunities: 

Website: Members of the public are encouraged to review materials on the BOS study website, wmata.com/BOSstudy, and provide feedback on the proposed alternatives by responding to an online survey.

Online Survey: The public is encouraged to provide feedback on the proposed alternatives through an online survey. The survey, available in English and Spanish, will be open until September 30, 2023, at wmata.com/BOSstudy.

VISA Gift Card Giveaway: By responding to the survey, respondents may enter for a chance to win a $50 VISA gift card in a drawing to be held once the survey closes. 

Hybrid Public Meetings: In addition, the public is encouraged to register for and attend one of three upcoming hybrid public meetings, either in-person or virtually (online). These hybrid meetings include a live presentation by project staff, followed by a question-and-answer session. 

• Tuesday, September 12 | 6:30-8 PM - Metro L'Enfant Plaza HQ Board Room (300 7th Street SW, Washington DC 20024)

To register for an upcoming meeting, visit: wmata.com/BOSstudy 

About the Study

Metro launched the Blue/Orange/Silver Capacity & Reliability Study (BOS Study) in early 2019 to identify the best and most cost-effective solutions to address ridership, service, and reliability needs on these Metrorail lines. After conducting an analysis of the key issues and trends, Metro developed a broad range of potential options for addressing the study goals. Following two rounds of public engagement and extensive feedback, Metro worked with community stakeholders and local jurisdictions to evaluate and narrow these options to six potential alternatives addressing capacity, reliability, and customer needs on the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines.

Click here to view the proposed alternatives.



The BOS Study is a type of study known as an Alternatives Analysis (AA). The AA complies with best-practices guidelines from the Federal Transit Administration and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This will allow Metro to move forward with the study recommendation(s) and compete for federal funding, while reducing the length and cost of any future environmental review process. The study recommendations will be based on data analysis, with input from regional stakeholders and the public to define the problems and determine the preferred solution. 

For More Information 

To learn more about the project, upcoming engagement activities, and complete the online survey, visit the project website at wmata.com/BOSstudy

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, gender, religion, disability, or family status. If you require accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or translation services (free of charge), contact the project team at 703-683-7447, ext. 115 (TTY: 711) at least 48 hours prior to the meeting date.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Rodney L. Lusk

Franconia District Supervisor